Congress suspends Kerala Youth Congress netas

NEW DELHI: The Congress has suspended three Youth Congress activists in Kerala — Rigil Makkutty, Sarafudin and Joshi Kandathil — for slaughtering a calf in public in Kannur a day earlier. The suspensions carried out by the KPCC came a day after Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident and on directions of the Congress central leadership that is livid about the incident and concerned that BJP may rake it up to corner Congress on the sensitive issues over cow and beef-eating.

“Such elements have no place in Congress. Youth Congress workers have been suspended,” AICC chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in Delhi on Monday.

The Youth Congress central leadership condemned the incident and demanded a probe. “The Indian Youth Congress condemns the incident that happened in Kerala. The party has suspended every person associated with the incident. The Youth Congress demands an independent inquiry into the incident. The law must take its own course and the government should take appropriate action as per law. At the same time, the inquiry should be independent and not vindictive to wreck political vendetta on anyone.

The Indian Youth Congress believes in harmonious coexistence of all religions and society and respects the law of the land,” a statement from the organisation said.

The party feels public slaughtering provides a major opening for BJP to launch an emotive attack on Congress at a time when many Opposition part i e s, including Cong ress, Trinamool and Left have said that the Centre’s regulations on cattle sale intruded into states’ domain.